Selective device for card-handling apparatus.



. E. u. BELKNAP. v

, SELECTIVE DEVICE FOR CARD HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATEON FILED MAR.2. 1914. I 1,172,862, Patented Feb.22,1916.

4 $HEETS-SHEET 2.

. 3 Wm Mm MW fi/LWML 393$ amo cmewmgmwl E. D. BELKNAP.

SELECTIVE DEVICE FOR CARD HAN DI. I N G APPARAT US.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2.19I4. 1,172,862; Patented Feb. 22,1916.

. 4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

E. D. BELKNAP.

SELECTIVE DEVICE FOR CARD HANDLING APPARATUS.

1 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1914. 1,172,86%. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

4 SHEETS SHEET 4.

' EDWIN DRAYTON BELKNAP, EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SELECTIVE DEVICEFOR CARD-HANDLING APPARATUS. I

Specification of Letters laten t.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed March 2, 1914. Serial No. 822,045.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIX DizA 'ToN BEL- KNAP, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at East, Orange, county of Essex, State Of" New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selective Devices for Carcl-Handling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to apparatus for automatically selecting certain cards from a series of the same and delivering them to a special receptacle, or special compartment of a general receptacle. Its most important application, so far as now known to me, isin the selecting and separating fromaseries of stencil cards, used in addressing machines by publishers of periodicals, those bearing addresses of subscribers whose subscriptions expire at a cor tain date or within a certain period. In operating such an apparatus a series of many thousands of stencil cards are fed througha. printingapparatus, said cards being arranged in alphabetical order or by geographical classifications, rather than by date of expiration of the subscriptions represented thereby. In is necessary, however, after, or while, the entire list of addresses borne by these cards, has been or is being printed for mailing a. given issue of the periodical, to eliminate those cards bearing the addresses of subscribers whose subscriptions expire before the date of issue of the next number of the periodical. My invention accomplishes this result in a positive and efficient I manner --w .hout defacing or tearing the cards.

-The best form of apparatus embodying my invention, at. present known to me, is

illustrated in the accompanying four sheets of drawing in which Figure 1,isaside elevation of the mechanisin [0 'be attached to a standard form of addressing machine of the general type such as is shown in Patent No. 976,142, granted to me Nov. 22, 1910, certain parts being broken away. Fig. 1*, is a detail view in vertical section of certain parts shown in Fig. 1, the selective device being disabled. Fig. 2, is a plan view, with parts broken away. Fig. 3, is a front elevation. with parts broken away orshown in section. Fig.

4, is a detail view, partly in section, showing card guide and selective plunger, with all selective pins removed. Fig. 5-is a ver- Throughout the drawings like reference characters indicate likeparts.

1, represents a magazine for the retention of the stencil cards discharged from. the ad-- dressing machine such asis shown in my prior patent above referred to. The bottom of this magazine is shown broken away but under normal conditions the cards thrust into the -magazine from the card guides 3, 3,

through the slot 3, in the side of the magazine will fall to the bottom of said magazine-and there accumulate in a pile.

2, is a movable partition or diaphragm which extends practically entirely across the magazine at right angles to its length and divides thespace in said magazine into two separate chambers 46, and 47. When, as is usual, the magazine is vertically arranged,

the movable partition 2, is held in a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, dividing the magazine into a lower chamber 47, and an upper chamber 46.

A stencil card 4,'of the character with which my invention is designed to cooperate, is shown in Figs. 3 and 7. This card has several holes 5, 5, punched in the sides of its frame, the location of said holes vary: ing according to the different weeks of the year they are designed. to represent. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7', the holes may be located in any one of the eight positions indicated on each of the longer sides of the card frame. One hole'being punched on each side,it is evident that it is possible to secure sixty-four different combinations of two holes, taking one on-each side, which number of combinations will more than take care of the fifty-two weeks of the year. The

location of hole in one end of the card eating plunger slide 9, This head plate 6, has a series of perforations or notches 7,7 in its sides and in one end corresponding to the possible locations of the holes 5', and 22, in the stencil card. I

8, 8, represent two pins which may be fastened in-the particular slots on thesides which correspond to the location of two holes in the sides of a card frame which would correspond 'to a certa n week in the year on which the subscriptions represented by the cards which are to be eliminated from the main body of the cards would expire.

I 39, is a pin inserted and fastened in one of the slots in the end of head 6,.and which represents the year of the expiration of such subscription. l 1

The movable partition 2, is preferably supported upon the bellcrank 10, pivoted at 11, upon the supporting arm or standard 51,

Qprojecting up from the base plate 41, on

which the sub-frame 50, supporting the rest of the mechanism also rests. Preferably the movable partition 2, has notches 12 12, cut in its corners and into these notches extend the bent portions of card supporting springs 13, '13, fastened to the sides of the magazine 7 1. As shown, these springs are fastened to the exterior of the magazine and have bent portions forming projections 48, with inclined gunder faces 49, extending through openings in the sides of the magazine into ,the spaces left by the notches 12, 12. As

shown, the upper surfaces of the projections 48, are 1n the same-plane as the upper surfrce of the movable part1tion2, or slightly below it. It is evident that a stack of cards in the upper chamber 46, of the magazine will rest on and be supported by the projections 48, 48, of the springs 13, 13, when the latter are in their normal position-and that these springs will hold said cards. in position even when the IDOVtIlJlE PiUiJItIOII 2, is

dropped down into the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and '14, is a spring also mounted on the magazine and engaging the bellcrank 10, to normally hold it and the movable partition 2,

in their upper or horizontal positions, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Thepreferred formof mechanism for lowering the movable partition to the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 5, comprises a trigger bellcrank 15, pivoted to the sub-frame 50, at and having one extremity connected by link 16, to pivot 26, on the bellcrank 10. The lower end of trigger 15, is located in the line of travel of the lug 18. on the member 17, of the telescoping slide 17-27. The outer end of this member 17, of the telescopingslide engages the slot 20, in the plunger slide 9, and hasa shoulder 19, which will engage the said slide when it is in its lower position (see Fig, 1")

but will pass freely into the slot 20, when the slide 9, is in its uppermost position, as shownin Fig. 5. 'The two sections 17, and 27, of the telescoping slide are normally held apart and the slide distended by coiled spring 21.

Slide section 27, is normally pulled to the right (looking at Figs. =1, and

5) byv retracting spring 23, connected to spring peg 24, on the slide section 27, and to the fixed pin 43, in the base plate 41. A cam roller 28, is mounted in the end of slide section 27, and engages cam .30, on cam shaft 29. This camshaft is mounted in journals 44, on base plate 41, and also carries the V- shaped resetting cam 31, which engages cam roller 32, on the lower end of bellcrank 10. This shaft 29, also'carries a cam 36, which "I will call the plunger cam, which coop'erates with the cam roller 85,0n the rear end 'of plunger lever 33, which is pivoted to the machine (not shown) is operating to print the addresses from the entire active sub. 1 scription list for the issue of aweekly periodical dated for the eleventh week of the year, it is desired to separate from the entire body of stencil cards hearing all the 9 5- as follows: Assuming that the addressing" addresses. 'on the subscription "list, those' stencil cards bearing addresses of subscribers whose subscriptions expire immediately after that 11th weekof' the year'a'nd before the-next issue. According to my invention all cards hearing such addresses would haveholes 5, 5, and 22, punched in them. I The holes 5, 5, would represent the eleventh in the series of two hole combinations made possible by taking one hole in each side frame, and the hole 22, would represent the current year. Selective pins 8, 8, would beset. in notches 7, 7, of plunger-head 6, corresponding to card frame holes 5, 5, and-am other pin 39, would be set in a notch 7, correcil cards are fed along from the addressing machine through the guides 3, 3, each card stops for a moment (the card feeding action being intermittent) immediately over the reciprocating plunger head 6. lVhile the card sponding to card frame hole 22. As the. sten- 4 is in this position of rest the plunger head isforced up by the conjoint action of cam 36,

plunger lever 33, and spring section 37; If

the card in the guides over the plunger has perforations 5, 5, and 22, as shown in Fig. 7,

- the selective pins on the plunger head will enter these openings and the plunger slide ,9,

imasea will have its full upward motion. Ihis will bring the slot 20, in line with the body of .and pushes the telescoping slide1727, to

section 17, of telescoping slide 1727, so

that when the cam 30, strikes cam roller 28 v throw of cam 30, normally gives it. This motion is sullicient to cause the slide lug 18, to strike the trigger bellcr'ank 15, and pull down the bellcrank 10, and movable partition 2, into the position shown in Fig. 5. This brings the movable partition below the level of card guides 3, 3, and slot 3", so that when a resumption of the card feeding movement (after the descent of the plunger slide 9,) forces said card through the slot 3 into the magazine 1, it will land on top of the movable partition 2. When the cam shaft .29, continuing to rotate in the direction of the arrow, brings the resetting cam 31, into contact with cam roller 32, on the lower end of hell "crank 10, and forces the movable.

partition 2, back to its normal position,

shownv in Figs. 1 and 3, the card carried by' this partition will be forced between the card supporting springs '13, 13, which are" I ber 46, ofthe magazine. if the next card is not one which has holes punched as shown in Fig. 7, the upward thrust of the plunger slide 9, will bring one or more of the selective pins 8, 8, and 39, against an unpunched portion of the card frame and check the movement of said slide before it'has risen high enough to clear the shoulder 19, on the telescoping slide section 17. This checking of the motion of the slide 9, is rendered possible by reason of the yielding action of the section 37, and spring 38, carriedby plunger lever 33. (See Fig. 1.) The result of the holding ofth plunger slide 9, in a half raised position will be to similarly check the sliding motion of the section 17, of the telescoping slide before its lug 18, strikes the trigger 15 shoulder 19 on slide 17-27 striking plunger slide 9. Consequently, the movable partition 2, will remain in its normal horizontal position and when a resumptionof the card feeding action forces this second card through slot 3 1nto the magazine, it

will fall to the bottom of said magazine, re

resenting subscriptions not expiring that week, will drop into the main magazine chamber 47. When the addresses for the next issue of the periodical are printed, one of the selective pins 8, will be moved into the next notch 7, and so on each week.

My invention has the advantages among others-of positiveness of operation and free dom from any wearing action on the cards, which are not subjected to any further handling or n'ianipulation than would be thecase if no selective apparatus were used.

It is evident, of course, that many other forms of mechanisms could be devised for producingthe relative movements of parts; 30 above described, that other arrangements ofmagazines and the separating apparatuscooperating therewith could be employed and numerous changes made in the details of construction herein described, without departing from the novel principle of operation of my invent-ion.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. The combintaion with a magazine for the reception of stencil or other cards having certain diverse classifying characteristics, which magazine is provided with a slot in one side through which the cards may be fed into the magazine, and means for feed ing said cards through said slot, of a movable partition in said magazine and mechanism controlled by the distinguishing char= acteristics of the respective cards for moving said partition to one side or the other side of said slot.

2. The combination with a magazine for the reception of stencil or other cards having certain diverse classifying characteristics which magazine is provided with a horizontal slot in one side through which the cards may be fed into the magazine, and means for feeding said cards through said slot, of a horizontally movable partition in said magazine, means for normally holding the same above the level of said slot and means controlled by the distinguishing characteristics of certain cards for tem 'iorarily depressing said partition below the level of said slot during the feeding of the card possessing such characteristics through the slot.

3. The combination with a magazine for the reception of stencil or other cards hav' ingcertainv diverse classifying characteristics which magazine is provided with a horizontal slot in one side "through which the cards may be fed into the magazine, and means for feeding said cards through said slot, of a horizontally movable partition in said magazine, means for nornmlly holding the same above theievcl of said slot and means controlled by the distinguishing characteristics of certain cards for temporarily depressing said partition below the level of said slot during the feeding of the card possessing such characteristics through the slot,

- depression.

together'with resilient devices located inhorizontal slot in one side through which the cards may be fed into the magazine, and

means for feeding said cardsv through, sald slot, of a horizontally movable partitionqln said magazine, means for normally-holding the same above the leve of said slot and I means controlled by the distinguishing char! acteristics of certain cards for temporarily depressing said paitition below the level of said slot during the feedingof the card possessing such characteristics through the'slot, together. with res'lient devices located in said magazin above the level of the slot for retaining such cards as are lifted tothem by the movable partition when returning to its normal position after each temporary depression, said partition having. notches formed in its edges .and said resilient means comprisin yielding fingers mounted on the magazine. walls, normally projecting into said notches and provided with beveled under faces.

5. In a card selecting apparatus the combination with separating means, of guides along which cards having perforations therethrough are fed, a reciprocating plunger having projections adapted to enter perplunger and selectivev forations in certain cards, means for-forcing said plunger with yielding pressure against each card brought to restin a certain posi- -tion in said. guides, and mechanism for actuating said separating means comprising a trigger connected to said separating means and a spring distended telescoping slide for opcratin'gthe trigger, the said reciprocating plunger coiiperating. with the telescoping slide to telescope and disable the same from action on thetriggcr when the plunger does. not make a full stroke, but permitting the slideto reciprocate freely and engage. the trigger when the plunger does make a full stroke.

6: The combination of a guideway, means for feeding a series of cards along said guideway, a plunger movable on lines intersecting the line of card travel in said guideway provided with a selective device adapted to engage said cards consecutively and thereby vary its extent oftravel, yielding means, tending intermittently to force the device toward the masses cards, a slide movable tow'ard and from the plunger, means lockingsaid slide against forward movement when the plung'er'is in certain positions, but permitting such forward movement when the plunger is in other positions, yielding means tending to move the slide toward theplunger, amovable card directing member located at the delivery end of the card guides, and mechanism for transmitting each forward movement of the 'slide'to said card directing member.

7. The combination of a card guideway, means for feeding cards along the guideway, amagazine at the end of the guideway.

having a plurality of compartments, means for directing the cards into one or another of said compartments, :1 plunger movable toward and from the guideway and having a selective device adapted to engage each card opposite it in the guideway, and thereby vary the travel of the plunger, yielding means for moving said plunger to produce said engagement, a slide movable toward and from the plunger, means whereby the I movement of said slide is controlled by the position of the plunger, and connections whereby certain movements of said slide are transmitted to the card directing means.

8. The-combination of card guid'eways, a card feeding device, a card directing device at the end ofthe guideways, a' plunger mov: able at right angles to the guideway provided with selective pins adaptedto engage each card when in'line with it, said plunger having a t ansverse opening through it, a slide movable at right angles to the plunger in line with said opening when the plunger is in one position and out of line therewith when the plunger is in other positions,

yielding means for moving said plunger toward each card as it comes opposite the selective pins, yielding means for moving the slide toward the plunger each time the selective pins engage a card, and a trigger connected to the card directing device lo catedin' the line of travel of the slide, whereby-the character of the card engaged by the selective pins determines the extent of motion of the plunger, which determines the extent of motion of the slide by the alinernent or non-alinement of the plunger opening with the slide, and determines the engagement or non-engagement of slide and b recting device.

' 5.. \VEINBERG,

A, P. Benson.

trig er which in turn operates the card di- 

